Camouflage and markings of
No. 74 Squadron RAF

Part 1

n by Rick Kent

"I Fear
No Man"

Throughout
aviation history, tiger motifs have been increasingly popular, culminating in the
contemporary Tiger Meets. I recently completed a series of profiles devoted to
the very first Tiger aviation unit in the world - No.74 RAF Squadron. The unit was formed
in 1917 and exists until this day, flying Hawks from RAF Valley at Anglesey in Wales. Many
famous names like Mannock, Malan and Mason came to be associated with the Squadron.

To many people No. 74 will be better known as a Tiger Squadron.
This name was first popularised by the book entitled Tiger Squadron written by
J.I.T. "Ira" Jones shortly after the First World War. Since then the
eye-catching tiger head badge (matching the Squadron motto I Fear No Man), and
the colourful yellow-and-black motifs were often carried by the unit's aircraft during the
peaceful periods of it's 80 years long history.

This series of profiles shows all aircraft types that the Squadron used
operationally, from the very beginning up to this day.

The Propeller Era

Royal Aircraft Factory S.E.5A74 Squadron, Royal Air Force
Claimarais, France, April 1918

Here is the first aircraft of the 74 "Tiger" Squadron, RAF. 74
was first formed on 1 July 1917 with various training types before receiving its first
operational fighters, the S.E.5A, in March 1918, going to France (St. Omer) on the 30th of
that month. The unit remained in France until February 1919 when it returned to Britain
from Halluin to Lopcombe Corner. It was disbanded there on July 3rd 1919.

A famous book entitled Tiger Squadron was written by Captain
J.I.T. "Ira" Jones, who was the Squadron's Commander from December 1918 to
February 1919, which told of the unit's exploits in the First World War - hence the
Squadron was known by that name from its earliest times. The Squadron destroyed 140 enemy
aircraft between 12th April 1918, when it had its first dogfight, and the end of the war
in November 1918.

They were not reformed until 1935, as shown in the following profiles.

The S.E.5A's were finished in the standard PC10 khaki dope on the
upper surfaces, whilst the undersurfaces of the wings and tailplane were clear-doped,
giving the creamy finish on the linen fabric, which darkened with age and good old
fashioned dirt. Also, of course, the British fin stripes were the same as French ones at
that time - i.e. with blue leading and red trailing.

The second 74 Squadron aircraft was this Hawker classic. The unit reformed
on board the transport ship Neutralia on 3rd September 1935 with Hawker Demon
two-seat fighters. This was part of the British response to the Abyssinian crisis when
quite a number of RAF squadrons went to the Middle East. 74 Squadron was destined for
Malta as shown, but was not allowed to identify itself by number until 14th November for
security reasons, being known only as Demon Flights at first.

As can be seen, the a/c were camouflaged in a locally devised scheme
(which was based roughly on that originally invented for the Sopwith Salamander of WW I).
The paints were locally produced, but the colours were very close to Dark Green
and Dark Earth; the camouflage patterns varied a lot, as did roundels, some
having just blue/red in varying positions, and yet others having full red/white/blue. The
serial numbers were usually painted over, again for security.

The undersurfaces of this Demon were left in their original Silver (Aluminium)
doped finish and the metal struts were left unpainted. The underwing serials were painted
over. It also retains its red wheel discs, indicating a machine of 'A' Flight. A photo of
it appears in "R.A.F. Squadrons" by Wing Commander C.G. Jefford, published by
Airlife England, 1988, ISBN 1 85310 053 6, on page 22. This photo is in fact from the RAF
Museum collection, which I catalogued myself when I was there, and I helped
"Jeff" in his research for the pictures. It shows that this a/c had just one
red/blue roundel on the top of the right upper wing. The rear part of the exhaust is
painted with a special white anti-glow paint, presumably to stop it from blinding the crew
at night.

In July 1936 the Squadron was shipped back to England, arriving at
Hornchurch in September. In April 1937 it re-equipped with Gloster Gauntlet single-seat
fighters.

This Gloster
Gauntlet shows the standard RAF inter-war colour scheme of silver overall (except for the
small black anti-dazzle in front of the cockpit) with the colourful style of markings used
by fighter squadrons. The Gauntlets were the first 74 airframes to carry the tiger stripe
markings on the fuselage and repeated across the top wing between the roundels. The
tiger's head badge is in the standard spearhead outline on the fin. The yellow wheels
indicate an aircraft of 'B' Flight. All these colourful markings were of course removed
and painted over with camouflage with the Munich Crisis in 1938.

The Squadron received Gauntlets in April 1937 and kept them until February
1939 when it re-equipped with Spitfire I's, remaining at Hornchurch in Essex not far to
the east of London throughout the entire period.

What a change from the pretty colours of the Gauntlet! Here's one of 74's
early Mk.I Spitfires with the pre-war code letters JH and pre-war style
camouflage and markings. The roundels on the tops of the wings were also red/blue over the
Dark Green/Dark Earth camouflage. Code letters are light grey (that was not an
official standard colour and varied a lot between the various Squadrons, being simply
mixed from black or grey and white).

The undersurfaces are still in the original silver (aluminium doped)
finish on the right side, and black on the left side with the dividing line straight down
the middle of the fuselage, and red/white/blue roundels under both wings. All the serial
numbers have been painted over.

Another Spitfire Mk.I, but this one as they appeared early in the war. The
most obvious change is to the code letters adopted on the outbreak of war: ZP.
Secondly the reinstatement of the white in the fuselage roundel, but deletion of the
underwing roundels. This aircraft has the proper black and white undersurfaces, divided
down the centre of the fuselage yet again, the uppersurfaces remaining as before in Dark
Earth/Dark Green. The serial number is still painted over.

The Squadron remained at Hornchurch until 27 May 1940, when it was sent up
to Leconfield in Yorkshire for one week's break, returning to Essex at Rochford (Southend)
near the Thames estuary on 6 June. Note that both this and the earlier Spit have the early
type thin radio aerial mast and wire aerial attached.

Yet another different Mk.I Spitfire of 74 Squadron. This shows the colours
used later in 1940, covering the period from the Battle of France until August when the
undersides of fighters were changed to the Sky colour during the Battle of
Britain. The fighter has the same basic camouflage scheme of Dark Earth/Dark Green upper
surfaces with the black/white undersides, but the much modified fuselage roundel now has
the yellow ring added (thinner than officially specified), and also the addition of the
fin stripes. By this time, as can be seen, the serial numbers had been put back on.

The radio aerials remain the same as before but note the addition of the
armoured glass windscreen on the cockpit canopy.

74 saw its first action of the war in May 1940 helping the hard-pressed
squadrons in France with patrols over that country during which five pilots were lost in
one week. The unit continued flying Mk.I Spitfires until September 1940, being heavily
involved in the Battle of Britain during June and July especially.

Here is the Mk.IIA Spitfire with which 74 Squadron was re-equipped in
September 1940 at Coltishall, before moving back south again to Biggin Hill in October for
the closing stages of the Battle of Britain.

The Squadron destroyed 38 enemy aircraft in November/December 1940, moved
to Manston in February 1941 and to Gravesend in May where it received Mk.VB Spits armed
with 20 mm cannon, but moved to Acklington in the far north of England in July 1941 where
it reverted to the Mk.IIA Spits until January 1942.

The colour scheme on this a/c is that used by RAF fighters in the winter
of 1940/41 - still the standard Dark Earth/Dark Green upper surfaces but with Sky
spinner and 18 inch fuselage band; the fuselage roundel is of the standard type
adopted for Spitfires until summer 1942. The black undersurface to the left wing was only
used through these winter months, before reverting back to the all Sky undersides
introduced first in August 1940. The serial is in the standard 8 inch high characters and
the codes are Medium Sea Grey. Only the roundel on the black wing has the yellow
outline, the other side being the standard red/white/blue. Upper wing roundels are, of
course, simply red/blue.

Note the different radio aerial, first introduced on Mk.I's during the
Battle of Britain (in particular no wire to the tail). The cockpit canopy has the armoured
screen and rear view mirror as standard. The eight machine gun ports have canvas patches
over them fixed on with red primer dope in order to keep dust out of the guns - these were
obviously shot through when the guns were fired.

For those modellers interested, the only definite external difference
(besides serial number) between Mk.I and Mk.II Spitfire is that the latter has a small
bulged fairing below the exhausts on the right side,
which covered the cartridge-starter not fitted to the Mk.I.

As a final note on 74 Squadron in this period, it was commanded from
August 1940 to March 1941 by the famous South African ace, Squadron Leader Adolph Gysbert
"Sailor" Malan, DFC.

As said 74 Squadron went to the far north of England (Acklington) in July
1941 where it reverted to Spitfire Mk.IIA's. It kept these for defensive duties at various
locations in Wales and Northern Ireland until embarking for the Middle East in April 1942,
arriving in Egypt in June but with no aircraft!

Since it had no a/c it moved to Palestine (Ramat David) where it acted as
a maintenance unit servicing USAAF B-24's - how bizarre for a top fighter squadron from
the Battle of Britain! At last, in December 1942, they received Hurricane IIB's like the
one shown in the profile, but only for service in Iran until May 1943 when they returned
to Egypt for defensive patrols and conversion to Spitfire Mk.VB and VC in September 1943.

Very little is known of the markings of these Hurricanes: they almost
certainly never carried any Squadron code letters, but some probably did have individual
aircraft letters (probably in white). They were painted in the standard desert finish of Mid
Stone/Dark Earth camouflage on upper surfaces with Azure Blue undersides,
and red spinner as standard to all Allied fighters in the Mid East. Note, of course, the
tropical carburettor filter under the nose.

In September 1943 74 Squadron went to Cyprus with its Spitfire V's in
support of the abortive campaign to occupy certain of the Aegean Islands. In one notable
incident on 29th September Flight Sergeant Wilson shot down a Ju 88 and caused two Me
109's to collide with each other.

Like the previous Hurricane, this Spitfire is in the standard desert
camouflage scheme; the only non-standard item is that the serial number is smaller than
the usual specified 8 inches high, indicating that it has been repainted over the desert
finish. The tropical filter under the nose certainly alters the look
of the aircraft. Again there are no Squadron code letters.

The unit returned to Egypt in late October 1943 to re-equip with Mk.IX
Spitfires.

Here is one of the Spitfire IXC's that 74 were re-equipped with in Egypt
from October 1943 until April 1944 when they returned to the UK. Its colour scheme is just
as that employed in Northern Europe; by this time there was no longer any need for desert
camo in Egypt to be used as the war there was over. The scheme is Dark Green/Ocean
Grey upper surface camouflage pattern with Medium Sea Grey undersides. Even
the Sky spinner and band are retained, along with the individual a/c code letter
(the Squadron still carried no code letters as identification). There are two slight
differences from the standard scheme - it does not have the yellow wing leading edge; and
the serial number has been repainted smaller so that it all fits on the Sky band.

This Spitfire is representative of the Mk.IXE version that 74 operated in
2nd Tactical Air Force after their return to the UK, from April 1944 to March 1945. They
were naturally involved in the fighting leading up to the D-Day landings, the invasion
itself, and all the way on into Germany in support of the 21st Army Group as
fighter-bombers and bomber escorts. They first moved to Normandy (Sommervieu) in August
1944, advancing into the Netherlands during the winter campaign.

As can be seen, the Squadron were allocated the code 4D on their
return from the Middle East. By the date of this illustration 2nd TAF had removed the Sky
spinners (black instead) and fuselage bands (overpainted with camo, hence the
slightly darker shade of the fresh paint), and also the roundels were the same in all
positions - i.e. with yellow outline and the addition of white on top of the wings. The
bomb is Dark Green, which was (and still is) standard for British
"live" bombs, the yellow ring around the front indicates High Explosive (HE)
filling. The camouflage colours are identical to the previous Mk.IXC, but note the 6 inch
yellow leading edge to the outer wing.

The wings are of the 'clipped' variety without the elliptical tips - for
the interest of modellers this was simply done by inserting a shaped wooden plug in place
of the original tip. The 'E' wings were fitted with two 20mm Hispano cannon and two 0.5
inch Browning machine guns, the latter being inboard of the former and so hidden in side
view.

This is the last Mark of Spitfire operated by 74 Squadron, the Mk.XVIE,
which was a conversion of the Mk.IX fitted with the US built Packard Merlin engine.
Although, apart from serial number, there is no definite external difference between the
two marks (late Mk.IX's had the cut down rear fuselage, and early Mk.XVI's had the
original type, and contrary to the belief of some authors they all had fixed tailwheels),
the two Marks were not interchangeable simply by swapping over the engines. This was
because the different engines had different electrical voltage systems and were slightly
different in certain
crucial measurements.

74 Squadron replaced its Mk.IXE's with the XVI's in March 1945, advancing
from the Netherlands into Germany with them, being based at Drope from 16th April to 11th
May, so the aircraft depicted is as it was only a few days before the end of the European
War. The field at Drope was quite unsuitable really, being too small and very waterlogged.
The Squadron returned to the UK only 3 days after the end of the war and commenced
re-equipment with Gloster Meteor III's immediately. The only colour difference between
this a/c and the Mk.IXE above is that the Sky fuselage band is painted over on
the underside with Ocean Grey rather than Medium Sea Grey. The only
other external difference is the obvious cut down rear fuselage with 'tear drop' canopy
and whip radio aerial.

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